View source for John Lisle Hall McFarlane

{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = John McFarlane
| image =John Lisle Hall MacFarlane.png
| birth_name = John Lisle Hall McFarlane
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1851|6|19}}
| birth_place =  [[Montego Bay]], Jamaica
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1874|3|17|1851|6|19}}
| death_place =  [[Edinburgh]], Scotland
| height =
| weight =
| ru_position =  Forward
| repteam1 = {{nrut|Scotland}}
| repcaps1 = 3
| reppoints1 = 0
| ru_ntupdate =
| repyears1 = 1871–1873
| ru_provinceyears1  = –
| ru_province1       = [[Edinburgh District (rugby union)|Edinburgh District]]
| ru_provinceapps1   =
| ru_provincepoints1 =
| amatyears1 = –
| ru_clubupdate =
| apps1 =
| points1 =
| amatteam1 = [[Edinburgh University RFC|Edinburgh University]]
| occupation =
| school =
| university = [[Edinburgh University]]
}}
[[File:The grave of John L H McFarlane, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh.jpg|thumb|The grave of John L H McFarlane, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh]]
Dr '''John Lisle Hall McFarlane''' MB ChB (19 June 1851 – 17 March 1874) was a Scottish physician and international [[rugby union]] player and sportsman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/256.html|title=John MacFarlane|publisher=espnscrum.com|accessdate=4 January 2013}}</ref>
==Personal history==
McFarlane was born in [[Montego Bay]], [[Jamaica]] in 1851 to John MacFarlane, and Edinburgh-educated surgeon, who had married Anna Smith, the daughter of a Jamaican estate owner. McFarlane's middle name of Lisle was taken from his mother's forebears who held connections to the [[Baron Lisle|Barons Lisle]]. McFarlane grew up in Scotland and was educated at several of the country's finest schools. He attended the [[Stewart's Melville College|Edinburgh Institute of Maths]] before switching as a boarder at the private Abbey Park School in [[St Andrews]]. It was at the establishments that he developed his enjoyment of sport and where he began to play rugby. In 1869 he left Abbey Park to enrol at [[Craigmount School]], supposedly just to get into the cricket team.<ref name="Mitchell">{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishsporthistory.com/uploads/3/3/6/0/3360867/rugby_tragedies.pdf|title=Scotland's First International Tragedies|first=Andy|last=Mitchell|publisher=scottishsporthistory.com |accessdate=4 January 2013}}</ref>
McFarlane matriculated to [[Edinburgh University]] where he studied medicine.<ref name="Mitchell"/> There he excelled across the sporting fields, playing cricket, representing the University in rugby and in athletics was the school's champion in hurdles, long jump and sprinting.<ref name="Mitchell"/> In 1871, McFarlane's ability on the ruby field saw him selected as the sole member of the Edinburgh University team to be selected for the [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland national team]] in the [[1870–71 Home Nations rugby union matches|first ever rugby international]]. McFarlane was selected in the forward positions for the first international, in which Scotland beat [[England national rugby union team|England]] by a goal to nil. McFarlane was selected for the [[1871–72 Home Nations rugby union matches|next international]] the following year, again against England. On this occasion, England were victorious. McFarlane's final international was the [[1872–73 Home Nations rugby union matches|1873 meeting between Scotland and England]], where McFarlane played in the three-quarters position. The game finished as a scoreless draw.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/18903.html|title=England tour – Glasgow, 3 March 1873: Scotland 0G – 0G England|publisher=espnscrum.com|accessdate=4 January 2013}}</ref>
Having finished college, McFarlane became a resident doctor at the [[Edinburgh Royal Infirmary]]. He still continued to play rugby for Edinburgh University. McFarlane also continued to play cricket during this period as his 'summer game'. He played for Carlton Cricket Club in Edinburgh and despite being just 19 was made first team vice-captain in 1871 and again in 1872.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://carltoncc.co.uk/captains.htm |title=Carlton CC: Captains and Vice-Captains |publisher=carltoncc.co.uk |accessdate=4 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922135740/https://carltoncc.co.uk/captains.htm |archive-date=22 September 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also the team's leading batsman in 1870.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carltoncc.co.uk/bat_bowl.htm |title=Carlton CC: Leading batsmen and bowlers |publisher=carltoncc.co.uk |accessdate=4 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922135718/http://www.carltoncc.co.uk/bat_bowl.htm |archive-date=22 September 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Death==
In early 1874, McFarlane played for [[Edinburgh University]] against [[Glasgow University]]. The game ended in a draw, but McFarlane scored a [[Try (rugby)|try]] and impressed enough to be selected for the upcoming fourth Scotland international against England. A week later he again turned out for Edinburgh University against [[Royal High School RFC]]. McFarlane kicked the winning goal in the first quarter of the game, but in the final moments of the match he fell awkwardly and dislocated his knee. The injury itself was not life-threatening, but he was left for a considerable time on the cold ground before being moved for treatment.<ref name="Mitchell"/>
McFarlane returned home to Buccleuch Place in Edinburgh, where he developed [[rheumatic fever]]. This in turn was aggravated by [[pericarditis]]. McFarlane spent five weeks bed-ridden, cared for by his mother and family, and appeared to make a recovery only to suffer from a severe relapse which saw him rushed to [[Edinburgh Royal Infirmary]]. His colleagues failed to save his life and he died on 17 March at the age of 22.<ref name="Mitchell"/>
A popular figure, his funeral was attended by a large number of students who walked in procession with his body from the infirmary to [[Dean Cemetery]]. A public subscription raised enough money for a 12-foot stone obelisk to be erected at his grave, which also bears a relief portrait of McFarlane.<ref name="Mitchell"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gravestonephotos.com/public/gravedetails.php?available=yes&fullname=John%20McFarlane&grave=74517|title=John McFarlane grave monument details|publisher=gravestonephotos.com|accessdate=4 January 2013}}</ref> The sculpture is by Edinburgh's leading sculptor of the day, Sir [[John Steell]]. The grave stands towards the north-west within the original cemetery.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McFarlane, John Lisle Hall}}
[[Category:1851 births]]
[[Category:1874 deaths]]
[[Category:People educated at Craigmount School]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Edinburgh District (rugby union) players]]
[[Category:Edinburgh University RFC players]]
[[Category:People educated at Stewart's Melville College]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Montego Bay]]
[[Category:Rugby union forwards]]
[[Category:Scotland international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Scottish rugby union players]]